Internet safety not for adults only

There is nothing wrong with prying into your kids’ lives, especially concerning the Internet.

That was the message driven home by the Worcester district attorney’s office and Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Information Technology Department.

In conjunction with Cyber Awareness Month, WPI and the office of Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. held an informational seminar Tuesday at WPI’s Higgins Lab about how children get into trouble online and what parents and guardians can do to protect them.

“Kids today are digital natives; parents are digital immigrants,” said Ellen Miller, Mr. Early’s community outreach director. “Adults with knowledge about the Internet and its dangers equal safety for their children.”

Suggestions for parents included keeping the computer in an open location for easy monitoring (statistics show 50 percent of home computers are kept in a private bedroom); keeping track of sites children are visiting; and setting limits on time and sites visited. Reviewing the browser history was also recommended.

“Tell your kids to be skeptical,” WPI network security analyst Neil Spellman urged the group. “No one should trust what is going on online.” Being nosey is OK when it comes to kids’ safety, he said, and using older kids or teenagers to train younger children is a smart tactic because sometimes youngsters do not listen to their parents.

Ninety percent of children say their behavior online comes from their parents or an older role model, according to statistics cited at the session.

Both Ms. Miller and Mr. Spellman advised those at the seminar to call the authorities, not send a message to Web site owners, over any unwanted messages or inappropriate conduct — such as cyber bullying.

With the rise in blogging, networking sites and instant messaging, presenters said caution should be key, as is keeping personal information private.

“Screen names that are gender neutral and not indicating any personal information should be used,” Ms. Miller said.

Along with these new forms of communication, text messaging has skyrocketed among young people. Statistics at the seminar showed the average teenager generates 50 to 70 text messages a day, or as many as 18,000 a year.

For more information on Internet safety, visit the district attorney’s Web site at www.worcesterda.com.